Two UCSC Alumnae Among 36 Confirmed Dead in Oakland Fire

The city of Oakland identified UC Santa Cruz alumnae Cash Askew, 22, and Sara Hoda, 30, as two of at least 36 killed in an electronic music show in an Oakland warehouse fire on Friday night. Only seven have been named — including one minor whose identity has been withheld.

Hoda earned dean’s honors in spring 2009, and went on to teach at a Montessori school in the bay area.

Askew grew up in San Francisco and studied art and electronic music at Santa Cruz, according to their Couchsurfing page, and was involved with the Kresge Co-op. She earned dean’s list honors and started a dream-pop group called Them Are Us Too with Kennedy Ashlyn, who also attended UCSC.

“She was without a doubt one of the most talented and loving people we’ve ever known,” said Dais Records, Them Are Us Too’s record label, in a Facebook post. “We will never be the same.”

Askew and Hoda were identified along with Nick Gomez-Hall, 25; Travis Hough, 35; Donna Kellogg, 32; Brandon Chase Wittenauer, 32; and a UC Berkeley alumnus, 24-year-old David Cline, according to the Daily Cal. Fire officials expect the death toll to rise, since only 30 percent of the building has been searched as of 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

City on a Hill Press will continue to update this story as it develops.

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